For those of you who grew up in the 70’s maybe early 80’s and lived in what is now called an inner-city neighborhood (i.e. ghetto), must remember the summer free lunch program. If you were like me and my siblings, cousins, friends, etc., we toted around the neighborhood in search of free lunch. Hell we mapped out sights, carried our bags and came away with those little milk cartons, fruit, sandwiches and occasionally if we were lucky apple juice (ooh…..). I’m not sure if you’re family was like mines but for that entire summer my mother did not have to buy milk. She was able to rely on those little red Dellwood labeled cartons of whole milk. Summers in the 70’s was just grand for your ghetto child.
Now let’s remix this free lunch program to corporate America. In corporate America free lunch is when the top executives have a catered lunch meeting and as soon as that meeting is over either an email comes out saying there’s lunch left over or the lookout person calls you and says “OK they’re finished” and you run down and grab your Chicken Franchese with penne and zucchini. Fun, right, yes, I agree I ran plenty of times to eat food I had never heard or better yet couldn’t afford for lunch. But as the years have gone by and reaching the tender age of 40 I don’t find the allure of this lunch program so interesting. Honestly I find it demeaning, here we are getting the scraps of what’s been left over and picked at. It’s almost like saying “feed the peasants” or better yet as in the time of slavery when the masters gave our ancestors their scraps. For some reason as I look at those who run to this free food I wonder where’s their dignity, not that eating a left over from a fine restaurant compromises’ your dignity, no not that, but when you plan for these events, when you’re always the first on line or better yet when you come with your Tupperware (LOL). Yes you know who you are! And the reason for the Tupperware is because you’re bringing left over, picked at, breathed on food home to your family. I mean really, that’s a compromise of dignity.
Usually when I write for Blacktina it’s all about the true unfairness we as a people of color receive, but in this instance I have to say peeps ease up on the free lunch. We are not that desperate for handouts and when the receptionist starts to call you directly to come get some free food and she’s of the other persuasion best believe she thinks you’re some poo (to cheap for the “r”) boy or gal who’s in need. Let’s rid ourselves of that stereotype ease up on running for the free lunch, remember white people don’t wash their hands in the bathroom, you have no idea what you’re touching and bringing home to your family!
